Independence

Topics

July 15, 2026

PEEC finalizes revisions to tax services independence guidance

PEEC finalized revisions to the AICPA’s independence guidance for tax services, maintaining a principles-based framework for evaluating independence threats when providing tax advisory and planning services to attest clients.

March 10, 2025

AICPA seeks feedback on independence rules related to private equity

In response to increasing private-equity investment in accounting firms, a Professional Ethics Executive Committee (PEEC) task force has issued a discussion memorandum related to independence rules in the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct.

December 1, 2023

Auditor independence threats and malpractice claims

When questions of independence arise in malpractice claims related to audit services, plaintiff ’s counsel often second-guesses the firm’s independence, painting a picture that the auditor’s professional skepticism was tainted.

May 1, 2022

Can a CPA firm loan staff to an attest client?

Understand the changes to the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct’s independence rules relating to loaning staff to an attest client.

March 21, 2022

PEEC issues wide range of ethics guidance for CPAs

Ethics guidance changed this week for CPAs as a result of new interpretations and revised interpretations issued by the AICPA Professional Ethics Executive Committee.

December 13, 2021

PEEC delays interpretation, adopts temporary policy statement

The effective date of the “Information Systems Services” interpretation has been further delayed by the AICPA Professional Ethics Executive Committee, which also issued a temporary policy statement related to employment statutes that may conflict with independence interpretations.

October 5, 2021

Revisions proposed to AICPA ethics code address certain SEC rule changes

The AICPA Professional Ethics Executive Committee issued a proposal Tuesday that addresses provisions in the recently amended SEC independence rules.

FROM THIS MONTH'S ISSUE

Cannabis dispensary denied ERC

The Court of Federal Claims held that Sec. 280E, which prohibits deductions and credits for businesses trafficking in controlled substances, applies to the employee retention credit (ERC), including its refundable portion, and denied a cannabis business’s claim for a refundable ERC.